Easy upgrade from base radio to next one up?
06-21-2007, 02:55 PM
#1
Drifting
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Location: Canton/Detroit Michigan
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Easy upgrade from base radio to next one up?
I have a 1LT '07 vette with the stock radio. Not happy about the single cd.
What I'd like to know is whether the next radio up (Bose?) will easily replace the one I have without major changes. This includes connectors, wiring, speakers, etc.
If it doesn't, then I'll live with this one and later (maybe next year) just go with a custom setup incl head/amp/sub/spkrs.
Basically, if it's cheap and easy I'd like to keep it looking stock by buying a used Bose head, if not, I may just go for it and spend 1-1.5K or so.
Has anybody else thought about this?
What I'd like to know is whether the next radio up (Bose?) will easily replace the one I have without major changes. This includes connectors, wiring, speakers, etc.
If it doesn't, then I'll live with this one and later (maybe next year) just go with a custom setup incl head/amp/sub/spkrs.
Basically, if it's cheap and easy I'd like to keep it looking stock by buying a used Bose head, if not, I may just go for it and spend 1-1.5K or so.
Has anybody else thought about this?
06-21-2007, 05:06 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
I don't think a "non-Bose to Bose" upgrade would be cheap, nor easy. I *think* the connectors are the same, but the Bose radio expects to use external amps (if it is like all the other Bose models in the GM lineup)... your base model doesn't have these amps, so the sound output would be very low. If you buy the Bose radio, wiring harnesses, and amps/speakers, you might be able to swap everything out all at once and end up with a working system. I don't know that it would be cost effective, but it should be possible, at least theoretically.
Also, thanks to the anti-theft coding, a GM-to-GM radio swap would also mean a visit with Mr Goodwrench and his trusty Tech2 computer, to encode your replacement radio with your car's VIN. Without that VIN encoding, your replacement radio thinks its been stolen, and will refuse to operate. Some dealers will do this for free, but most I've seen charge $50-$75 for the reprogram. An exception to this is -- I think if you buy a _brand new_ GM radio that has _never_ been installed in a vehicle before, the radio will code itself on the very first power-up.
I went down this bumpy upgrade road with my 07 Avalanche...
This is just my experience, YMMV, etc...
Cheers,
Kent
Also, thanks to the anti-theft coding, a GM-to-GM radio swap would also mean a visit with Mr Goodwrench and his trusty Tech2 computer, to encode your replacement radio with your car's VIN. Without that VIN encoding, your replacement radio thinks its been stolen, and will refuse to operate. Some dealers will do this for free, but most I've seen charge $50-$75 for the reprogram. An exception to this is -- I think if you buy a _brand new_ GM radio that has _never_ been installed in a vehicle before, the radio will code itself on the very first power-up.
I went down this bumpy upgrade road with my 07 Avalanche...
This is just my experience, YMMV, etc...Cheers,
Kent
Last edited by Kent1999; 06-21-2007 at 05:22 PM.
06-21-2007, 05:29 PM
#3
I don't think a "non-Bose to Bose" upgrade would be cheap, nor easy. I *think* the connectors are the same, but the Bose radio expects to use external amps (if it is like all the other Bose models in the GM lineup)... your base model doesn't have these amps, so the sound output would be very low. If you buy the Bose radio, wiring harnesses, and amps/speakers, you might be able to swap everything out all at once and end up with a working system. I don't know that it would be cost effective, but it should be possible, at least theoretically.
Also, thanks to the anti-theft coding, a GM-to-GM radio swap would also mean a visit with Mr Goodwrench and his trusty Tech2 computer, to encode your replacement radio with your car's VIN. Without that VIN encoding, your replacement radio thinks its been stolen, and will refuse to operate. Some dealers will do this for free, but most I've seen charge $50-$75 for the reprogram. An exception to this is -- I think if you buy a _brand new_ GM radio that has _never_ been installed in a vehicle before, the radio will code itself on the very first power-up.
